What's wrong? My car is falling apart!

grn4banger · Jan 10, 2004

Ok, so a week ago, I'm heading back to college to leave for a trip and get about 25 miles away when the temp gauge goes up to H. I pulledver at the next exit, popped the hood, and saw that the engine did not feel hot and added a bit of water to the coolant reservoir, although I don't feel it needs anything. I sit for a few minutes, but continue with the defrost on (the defrost is blowing cold, despite the temp gauge reading hot, but I know it also keeps the cooling fan running). Every few mins, the gauge starts to go down, and I get warm air coming in through the defroster, only to have it revert back again (but only for a short period of time, at this point it was mostly in the high-normal range). I get to my destination, unload my things and start the car up to park it and the check engine light came on. So today I returned, it's 0 degrees out and I put the defrost on, which only blows cold air again. The temp gauge went to Hot in the 2 mile drive across campus. I popped the hood and checked the radiator, which has plenty of pressure since it sprayed coolant. Now the hood doesn't shut (I'm assuming from the cold). But what is the cooling system problem? The car has 65k miles, and I had the cooling system flushed <5k miles ago. Do these sound like head gasket symptoms?

-Dubbs

DanM · Jan 10, 2004

Doesn't sound like a head gasket. Sounds more like a defective coolant temp sensor or an electrical short. It's just not physically possible for your car to have gotten that hot in a 2-mile drive across campus, so it has to be just a defective sensor.

I'd attempt to read the DTCs from the gauge cluster and see if it's throwing a coolant code of some sort. I bet it is.

Easy fix is that you just replace the coolant temp sensor. Failing that, it may be a wiring harness issue - less easy to fix, but still not too bad at all.

grn4banger · Jan 10, 2004

DanM said:
Doesn't sound like a head gasket. Sounds more like a defective coolant temp sensor or an electrical short. It's just not physically possible for your car to have gotten that hot in a 2-mile drive across campus, so it has to be just a defective sensor.

I'd attempt to read the DTCs from the gauge cluster and see if it's throwing a coolant code of some sort. I bet it is.

Easy fix is that you just replace the coolant temp sensor. Failing that, it may be a wiring harness issue - less easy to fix, but still not too bad at all.

I too, was originally thinking it was a bad sensor, but if that would be the case, then my heat/defroster would not be affected right? I can go pull codes the computer spits out, but I don't have a guide for this one yet that tells me what any of the numbers mean.

Oh, and I just went out to try to get the hood to close and I'm still not having any luck. The first one (with the yellow handle) latches, but the latch behind it refuses to actually latch (even when I push down on the hood and it is at the normal level for it being completely closed. Even though it has one latch working, I really do not want to drive it to a mechanic with the hood not latching properly.

Thanks.
-Dubbs

30AnnivStang · Jan 10, 2004

DTC's aren't an option on a '95, which is what i believe he has. I agree that it's not really possible to heat it up that fast. so shouldn't be anything wrong mechanically. it's prolly electrical, like you said.

the biggest problem is that you are a Nittany Lion! Go Purdue Boilermakers!! (shut up Georgia fans)

Adamakafel · Jan 10, 2004

and if what they said does not work it could be a bad water pump that needs to be replaced

AP1995V6 · Jan 11, 2004

I had a similar problem yesterday. I got down to the end of my road (about 100 yards) and my temperature guage shot over to hot. I floored it when I pulled out and it went to cold and everything was cool.

HoofBeatsRfastr · Jan 11, 2004

Have you tried replacing your thermostat?? My car did that and all it was was my thermostat.....it only cost something like $7.

hiattwl · Jan 11, 2004

try filling it up with coolant in the radiator, not the overflow. The exact same thing happened, and you get vapor lock, and no water flows.

Wayne

grn4banger · Jan 11, 2004

hiattwl said:
try filling it up with coolant in the radiator, not the overflow. The exact same thing happened, and you get vapor lock, and no water flows.

Wayne

I opened the radiator and it sprayed out, so it's full. I also got the hood to close. The more I think about it the more it seems like a thermostat, but I don't have any tools or place to do something with fluids around so I just dropped it off at the dealership. I should find out what the prob is tomorrow.

-Dubbs

hiattwl · Jan 12, 2004

Did you pull the little plug at the top to let air out?

wayne

Palehorse95 · Jan 12, 2004

This is a classic sign of a bad thermostat.. Possible water pump...My money is on the thermostat. $3-$10 max.

98v6mustang · Jan 12, 2004

i had the same problem with my 93 thunderbird (3.8 as well)

turned out to be blown head gaskets

grn4banger · Jan 14, 2004

I just got a call from the dealership I took it to. They replaced the thermostat, but the #4 cylinder is misfiring AND it's losing coolant - blown head gasket ....Thank God I got a warranty with this car

-Dubbs

mamastang · Jun 26, 2004

Mine did the exact same way. In just a short distance would oveerheat. I checked the valve and It would always have air in it. NO heat only cold air. Tore into it and the place in the gasket was very visible. Seems common in them. Replace them with a good metal type gasket if you can.

30AnnivStang · Jun 26, 2004

WOW, talk about dragging up an old thread!! I haven't really posted in months, except for 1 or 2 a few days ago. I was very suprised to get an email, and i don't even remember typing my response.

97WhiteStang · Jun 26, 2004

i think this same thing happend to me last week, car got hot pulled over and let it cool, started it up again and drove like 2 feet and it shot up again everything had full coolant so i went home flushed out my system put in a new thermostat, hoses and radiator cap, new coolant in and burped the system and i was good to go! all of that cost like 30 bucks, the stat was only like 5...i would say thats your prob.

Jake

ps: i did the hoses and cap b/c i thought it was time too you prob only need a stat

wow!! it really helps to read all of the posts before i reply!!!! anyway glad you fixed the problem!!

30AnnivStang · Jun 27, 2004

the people with the questions posted in January. I think we can let this one die.

97v6Silver · Jun 27, 2004

my hood doens't latch sometimes so i hafta push the handle back in i dunno why it's sticky

What's wrong? My car is falling apart!

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it came to $4.56 and i got $0.44 change from a 5,

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it came to $4.56 and i got $0.44 change from a 5,

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